Zelenskyy: Death Toll in Komyshuvakha Hits 40 After Russian Bombing
Power and water outages spread across Kyiv as rescue crews enter their third day of searching for survivors in a southern village.
By Lucas Sheridan ·
The death count from a Russian strike on a shelter in the village of Komyshuvakha reached 40 on Wednesday, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The blast occurred Monday when multiple guided bombs hit a former school and nearby shelter in the Zaporizhzhia region. Zelenskyy stated that 30 additional people may remain buried in the rubble. Mykhailo Semikin, the acting head of the regional military administration, previously confirmed 37 fatalities. Ivan Fedorov, co-chair of the regional defense council, noted that 12 bodies had been identified so far.
Rescue operations continued for a third day amid heavy smoke and shattered infrastructure. The National Police of Ukraine reported that visual identification of some victims was impossible. Specialists are collecting DNA samples from relatives to confirm identities. Body camera footage from a police officer killed in the attack shows the moments before the second impact. The officer is heard urging survivors to move underground before the video cuts to black. Vladyslav Makhovskyi, a local Baptist pastor, assisted in the search. He described the difficulty of rescuing those trapped in the low-ceilinged underground room.
Russian aerial assaults caused widespread disruption in the capital. Power and water outages affected Kyiv and surrounding areas for several hours Wednesday. Residents were advised to use public drinking fountains. Emergency centers provided hot tea and charging stations for devices. Kyiv’s water utility confirmed that supplies were restored later in the day. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, stated that emergency shutdowns ended after repairs were completed.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 310 drones overnight, including 81 jet-powered units. The air force said it downed or suppressed 272 of those drones. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it shot down 709 Ukrainian drones during the same period. A drone attack caused a fire at an Ozon logistics center in the Adygea region, though no casualties were reported.
Diplomatic efforts are underway in Brussels. Officials from the United States, Germany, France, Britain, NATO, and the European Union met at the European Commission headquarters. The discussions focused on postwar security, reconstruction costs, and economic opportunities. These talks precede a new round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations scheduled for next week.
Zelenskyy awarded U.S. First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class. The honor recognizes her humanitarian support for Ukrainian children and her role in brokering a six-day ceasefire in Oleshky. That ceasefire allowed residents to evacuate the Russian-occupied city in Kherson region.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow hopes President Donald Trump will continue his efforts to end the war regardless of the midterm election results. Democrats took control of Congress in those elections.
